Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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301**** out of here (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by keldinksp
I got hired in late March. Now it's the end of June and I've only accomplished becoming somehow more depressed than I was before.
I loved my coworkers that I worked with most often but the lack of structure and communication, and the weird double standards that some partners/SSV/SM had against each other was just toxic. Walking on eggshells and not being able to call them out on their behavior, stuff like that where everything seems like some sort of mind game. I feel as a human being I have the right to as much freedom to speak my mind as anyone else, and if someone's being rude or malicious I should be able to tell them to stop... Apparently that makes me a disagreeable person at Starbucks.
Hell, I even considered organizing my store myself because we were super busy and not getting any recognition or bonuses for our hard work. But I couldnt get anyone invested in the idea of change. I really wanted to make a network for partners to unionize but in the end, the machine I was up against was too huge and intricately designed.
Also the only "recognition" for baristas was a dress up week. Seriously? Are we grade schoolers or people who work our asses off for a $10 wage?
Idk i feel like my SM didnt really get how awful my depression was either. Im also terrible at explaining things but I feel like I was being talked down to the entire time.
I feel like there is absolutely no reason I should have been emotionally manipulated to stay at a job that hurt so bad. And the fact that nobody could sympathize was just plain terrifying. Like my coworkers and I woud always chat about the difficulty of life and especially how hard starbucks is, but when it came to management the empathy was absent completely. I know most other workplaces arent too much better, but at least theyre more honest about not giving a shit instead of playing games where they act like they care.
TL;DR dont work at starbucks if you have a mental illness. it will only get worse, or if you are healthy you will surely develop anxiety or depression. not every store is bad, but you will likely run into weird emotional traps. this place is not what it seems.
I loved my coworkers that I worked with most often but the lack of structure and communication, and the weird double standards that some partners/SSV/SM had against each other was just toxic. Walking on eggshells and not being able to call them out on their behavior, stuff like that where everything seems like some sort of mind game. I feel as a human being I have the right to as much freedom to speak my mind as anyone else, and if someone's being rude or malicious I should be able to tell them to stop... Apparently that makes me a disagreeable person at Starbucks.
Hell, I even considered organizing my store myself because we were super busy and not getting any recognition or bonuses for our hard work. But I couldnt get anyone invested in the idea of change. I really wanted to make a network for partners to unionize but in the end, the machine I was up against was too huge and intricately designed.
Also the only "recognition" for baristas was a dress up week. Seriously? Are we grade schoolers or people who work our asses off for a $10 wage?
Idk i feel like my SM didnt really get how awful my depression was either. Im also terrible at explaining things but I feel like I was being talked down to the entire time.
I feel like there is absolutely no reason I should have been emotionally manipulated to stay at a job that hurt so bad. And the fact that nobody could sympathize was just plain terrifying. Like my coworkers and I woud always chat about the difficulty of life and especially how hard starbucks is, but when it came to management the empathy was absent completely. I know most other workplaces arent too much better, but at least theyre more honest about not giving a shit instead of playing games where they act like they care.
TL;DR dont work at starbucks if you have a mental illness. it will only get worse, or if you are healthy you will surely develop anxiety or depression. not every store is bad, but you will likely run into weird emotional traps. this place is not what it seems.
Crowchick1731 6 points 2y ago
>dont work at starbucks if you have a mental illness.
While I'm so sorry it didn't pan out for you, I dont agree with this. I suffer from major anxiety disorders (general anxiety/seperation anxiety [from loved ones. Not really work related]/social anxiety/and panic attacks). I also have depression and a whole host of other issues and I would not have a reason to crawl out of bed if not for bux. It's helped me 10 fold and im grateful.
I think its important to have a supportive and not toxic store though. I got fired from one a couple years ago, where I threw up from stress on the regular and dreaded going in. The store im at now is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for the world. There's few like that, but the few that exist keep some of us going.
Tl/dr I don't agree with your statement entirely but understand from some perspective.
Sincerely a 259****
While I'm so sorry it didn't pan out for you, I dont agree with this. I suffer from major anxiety disorders (general anxiety/seperation anxiety [from loved ones. Not really work related]/social anxiety/and panic attacks). I also have depression and a whole host of other issues and I would not have a reason to crawl out of bed if not for bux. It's helped me 10 fold and im grateful.
I think its important to have a supportive and not toxic store though. I got fired from one a couple years ago, where I threw up from stress on the regular and dreaded going in. The store im at now is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for the world. There's few like that, but the few that exist keep some of us going.
Tl/dr I don't agree with your statement entirely but understand from some perspective.
Sincerely a 259****
Allopathological 4 points 2y ago
The bux was the only part time job I ever held offered me healthcare, mental health services, tuition assistance, and a host of other benefits.
While I would still get super pissed and stressed about the job at times, it was objectively the best I have been treated by an employer while working in the service industry. Small local businesses have never offered me that kind of support and most of them have abused their workers illegally (stealing tips, wage theft, etc..)
At the end of the day this is a job. You get paid to make coffee for 5 hours at a time. It’s service industry so when things are busy it gets a little stressful, unfortunately that’s just the nature of the beast.
While I would still get super pissed and stressed about the job at times, it was objectively the best I have been treated by an employer while working in the service industry. Small local businesses have never offered me that kind of support and most of them have abused their workers illegally (stealing tips, wage theft, etc..)
At the end of the day this is a job. You get paid to make coffee for 5 hours at a time. It’s service industry so when things are busy it gets a little stressful, unfortunately that’s just the nature of the beast.
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